


I Have Come In From the Ocean

by MaraMcGregor



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M, Selkies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:48:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24510334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaraMcGregor/pseuds/MaraMcGregor
Summary: Bitty has one right of passage to complete to become an adult in the eyes of his bob of selkies. He must go on land and pass as human. He must learn how to blend in and put all of his human lessons to good use. Everything seems to be going well. Except he wasn't supposed to fall in love. He has a hard choice ahead of him. Does he give up the person he has been drawn to? Or does he give up ever going back to the ocean?
Relationships: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann
Comments: 5
Kudos: 103
Collections: OMGCP Reverse Bang 2020





	I Have Come In From the Ocean

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [this amazing artwork](https://pieandpucks.tumblr.com/post/619961996257951744/my-piece-for-the-omgcpreversebang-super-thankful#notes) by pieandpucks. Thank you so much for working with me and letting me have a chance to make a fic for this great AU idea.

Bitty was surrounded by his extended family group in his bob. He was just on the verge of becoming a full member. All that was left was the longstanding tradition of spending time on land as a human. He had taken a few classes on human behavior, but part of being a selkie was being able to transform and escape onto land. And it was important to be able to blend in well. The worst thing that could happen to a selkie would be if they were spotted on land and a human stole their pelt. They would be forced to marry and would never be able to return to the sea until they were able to get their pelt back. 

Once he passed this test, he would return to the bob and hopefully find a mate. He hadn’t felt any inclination towards the selkies in his age group. But, his bob numbered in the thousands and he hadn’t met many selkies outside of his family and some distant cousins. When he returned, the bob would be gathering for pupping and mating season.

His mom nuzzled his face. “Now, what do you do if you’ve been exposed?”

“Get back to the sea as quickly as possible.”

“Where will you keep your pelt?”

“In the bag with the clothes the bob has hidden in the rocks by the shore.”

“And?”

“I will never let it leave my possession.”

She nuzzled back in, whiskers scratching against his cheek. “Stay safe, my Bitty. The human world is as amazing as it is terrifying.”

* * *

Humans were weird. They had odd greeting conventions. Bitty tried to remember what his bob had taught him about blending in. 

Step One: Observe. Right, so humans were walking on the lighter stone and avoiding the darker stone. 

Step Two: Mimic. That didn’t look too hard. Except for the balancing on two feet part. And the walking part. 

Eventually, he started to get the hang of keeping his knees from buckling at an odd angle and even managed to move in a generally straight line staying on the light stone. He wasn’t really sure where he was supposed to go to learn about people, but he figured that if he kept going the same direction as the majority of the people, he’d be okay.

Bitty followed the flow of people to a large building that he could almost feel calling out to him. He watched (step one, observe) as humans filed through a weird arch with a light on top and another human waved them through. He practiced smiling at the man who waved him through and got a nod in return. So far, so good. From there, everyone seemed to branch out into different directions. He did his best to figure out where he was supposed to go, but there was the faintest pull and whisper speaking to him, like there was water nearby.

He followed the whisper and held on to the metal rail down the stairs and sat on a long bench with the humans. It didn’t take long to figure out what had been calling him. Ice. And there were people gliding on it. He had heard of this. It was something called skating. Humans supposedly did it for fun. Several small human pups held things over their heads and waved them at the people on the ice. The skaters came by and gave them black nuggets and tapped on the glass separating them. 

Then one man came out and the crowd cheered louder than before. He didn’t seem to realize what was going on around him, just raised a hand and nodded with a tight smile. He looked about as comfortable as Bitty felt. Something about him drew Bitty forward, he could feel his whole body leaning and trying to pull him out onto the ice and towards this man. Could he be another selkie from a different bob?

Everyone seemed enamored with him. Every time he hit the nugget on the ice into the net, they cheered. Bitty wasn’t sure how long he sat there watching the skaters glide on the ice and play with sticks and black nuggets (he overheard someone call it a puck), but he knew he stayed longer than most. The audience dwindled as the skaters left the ice until the last one out was the blue eyed man that seemed to exude ice from his stare. Bitty held tightly on to the bag that held his pelt and took a seat near the glass as he watched the man called Zimmermann push himself harder than anyone else had. 

Finally, he stopped. Bitty thought he was just going to skate off and go down the tunnel like the others had, but he came over and tapped the glass in front of him. 

“Enjoy watching practice, eh?”

“Practice?”

The man’s brows furrowed. “Yeah. You - you did know this was just practice, right?”

Bitty could almost get lost in the man’s piercing blue eyes. It felt like a riptide pulling him out to sea and into the depths. “For what?”

The man chuckled and then started to laugh with his whole body. “Did you not know where you were?”

“No. Lots of people were coming here so I sort of just followed. Seemed like the sensible thing to do.”

“This is definitely a first.” He ran a gloved hand through his damp hair. “What’s your name?”

“Bitty. What’s yours?”

“I - you - Jack Zimmemann. It’s nice to meet you Bitty.”

Bitty wasn’t sure why Jack Zimmermann seemed so thrown off by him. He had done exactly what all the other people had done, and still it seemed like he stood out. That definitely wasn’t the goal of this excursion.

Jack stared at him until it started to become uncomfortable. “Look, I know this is going to sound odd, but … do you want to get dinner?”

“Why would that be odd? I’d love to eat.”

“With me?”

Bitty knew he had to be missing something important, but for the life of him he couldn’t figure out what. “Yes? Is that weird?”

“Yes. No. I - I’m really not sure. I feel like there is something familiar about you, but you don’t even know who I am. We can’t have met before. Have we?”

“No. Definitely not.”

Jack whispered to himself. “It’s just the strangest feeling.” He looked back up at Bitty and asked, “Do you mind waiting for me? I have to get cleaned up and changed. There’s a great little diner that overlooks the bay.”

Bitty was positively intrigued. “Sure.”

***

Jack slid into his favorite booth at the little diner that overlooked Narragansett Bay. “I love coming here. It’s quiet and something about this view just makes me calm.”

Bitty smiled gently at Jack. “It’s beautiful. It’s like looking through a portal at a whole different world.”

Jack nodded and reached for Bitty’s hand. “That’s exactly it.” Just before Jack could tighten his grip, something startled him and he pulled back.

“Jack?”

He ducked his head and avoided Bitty’s eyes. “Have you eaten here before?”

“No. What do they have?”

Jack pulled two menus from a stand on the table and slid one over to Bitty. “Pretty much everything.”

Bitty toyed with the plastic covered paper, flipping the pages back and forth. There were a lot of little scribbles all over the pages. Sometimes there were pictures breaking up the little scribbles. Bitty tried to pretend that he knew what he was looking at. He glanced up at Jack a couple of times to see that he hadn’t even opened the book. “Um -”

“Yeah, it’s a pretty big menu. But, they have pretty much anything you are in the mood for.”

Bitty idly flipped another page. “Do they have clams?”

“Yeah, of course. They have some of the best clam chowder in Providence. It’s usually too heavy for me during the season, but I have had it on my cheat day. It’s a decent sized serving, too.”

Bitty nodded and closed the menu, happy he hadn’t behaved weird in front of this very nice man who invited him for dinner. 

A woman with long red hair tied up high on her head came over and nodded to Jack and gave Bitty the smallest of glances.

“Judy, it’s great to see you. I’ll have my usual.”

“Grilled chicken with a side salad, oil and vinegar, green beans, and a water. You got it.” She tilted her head in Bitty’s direction. “What can I get for you?”

“Jack said the clam chowder was really good.”

She nodded and scribbled on the pad of paper in her hand. “It’s the best in town. And considering this is New England, that’s saying something. What can I get you to drink?”

“Just water will be fine. Thanks.”

Judy gave them a sharp nod of acknowledgement and vanished through a door behind the counter.

“Judy can be a bit brisk, but she’s one of the reasons I love this place.”

Bitty tilted his head in confusion.

The question must have been clear on his face because Jack elaborated. “It’s hard sometimes for me to just go out and have a meal in peace and quiet. She is a breath of fresh air. And most importantly, she respects my privacy.”

Bitty really had no idea why this privacy thing was so important to Jack, but he remembered his training to blend in and nodded. “That’s good.”

It didn’t take long for their food to arrive. Bitty lifted his nose and sniffed as the clam chowder was brought to their table.

“Yeah, the smell alone gives me cravings, too.”

Bitty glanced at Jack who was gently smiling at something. He wasn’t sure what, exactly, but he assumed he must have done something not entirely normal. “It smells good.”

Judy placed the bowl in front of him with a cup full of crackers wrapped in plastic next to the clam chowder. He cautiously reached for the spoon and wrapped his fingers around the handle. He remembered the classes from his bob on how to eat like a human. But, it wasn’t natural to try to wrangle a metal implement to his mouth instead of just diving in face first. He was pretty certain he fed himself with some level of proficiency because no one made any comment on his grip. He was so focused on not making a fool of himself that the taste of the soup took him by surprise. He couldn’t stop himself from letting out a long, low moan of pleasure.

Jack openly laughed. “I told you it was the best. Now, you’re making me jealous. I wish it was on my diet plan, but I’ll just have to wait until the offseason.”

Bitty quickly grew accustomed to the spoon and chatting with a human while eating. It was pleasant and fun. The magnetic pull was still there, but Jack didn’t seem to notice it. Or if he did, he was keeping it to himself. If Jack _was_ a selkie stranded on land, he surely would have mentioned it to Bitty by now. To another selkie, he was sure that it would have been obvious. So maybe Jack really was just a human. A human that Bitty felt drawn to. Ugh, this wasn’t good.

* * *

Bitty had tried to stay away from Jack for the last few weeks. But somehow, he kept managing to bump into him. And every time, it was like gravity pulling him in. He loved it when Jack smiled, or laughed, or giggled, or … anything really. He knew it was dangerous to fall in love with a human. There were so many cautionary tales about selkies being trapped on land with a human, unable to leave and go back to the sea. It was terrifying. But it also felt right. Bitty didn’t want to have to choose between Jack and his bob. But eventually, he would have to leave. And it would break his heart. He had a feeling it would break Jack’s, too.

He had been walking along the docks checking out the fishing trawlers (mostly their dangerous nets) when he heard a shout from behind him. He recognized the voice instantly. “Jack! What are you doing here?”

“I could say the same to you.”

“Just wandering around the docks. Nothing special.”

“The guys are taking out Marty’s boat for a bit of fun. Want to come?”

“On the boat? With your team?”

Jack’s smile was so authentic, it radiated from his whole body. “Yeah. I told them that I was dating someone. And you are here, so -” Jack ruffled his hair, confidence fading from him. “I should have asked if you were good with people knowing we were dating. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, Jack, honey, it’s fine! I’m happy you told your team. And yes, I’d love to come with you on Marty’s boat.” Bitty honestly had no idea about being onboard a boat. He was usually more concerned with staying away from those evil propellers that took chunks out of hide.

Jack draped an arm around his shoulders and guided him down the pier towards something that was significantly larger than what Bitty had been expecting. When he thought of a boat, the first thing that came to mind was a fishing boat, or a sailboat. This was at least 40 feet long and had multiple levels. Jack hopped on board and held out a steadying hand for Bitty as he stepped onto the platform. He must have looked uneasy because Jack quickly started to reassure him. “Don’t worry, the guys will love you. They were just happy to know that I was happy. To be honest, I think Marty and Thirdy were getting worried that I was too emotionally closed off. I promise, they will adore you.”  
Bitty nodded and forced a smile, trying not to let his nerves betray him. Fooling Jack into believing he was a perfectly normal human male was one thing. Jack seemed to be nearly as oblivious about human social interaction as he was. Fooling a whole boat full of humans? That was going to be much more challenging.

The guys and their significant others all insisted on shaking his hand. Sometimes a little too enthusiastically in the case of a man who was adamant about being called Tater. “Just call me Tater. Is like little potatoes, yes?”

Bitty took a while to get settled in. He finally was able to calm his anxiety when Jack wrapped one large hand around his waist and pulled him into his lap. He leaned back into Jack’s chest and let his heartbeat anchor him. It took everything he had to ignore the pulsing of the propellers in the water and pay attention to the team chatting. Eventually, it became background noise and the alcohol started flowing freely. 

Jack grabbed a couple of bottles of water and a towel for them and showed him how to get to the front of the boat. 

The spray of the ocean came up so fast that it reminded Bitty of dancing in the waves near shore with his bob. Something in him relaxed and he let himself enjoy the moment. “I know we’re on a ridiculously large boat with your team, but for some reason, it feels like it’s just us in the whole world. You, me, and the ocean. It feels like home.”

Jack dropped his chin to Bitty’s shoulder and hugged him. “I don’t know how you do it, but it’s like you know exactly what my soul is thinking.” He ducked his head, light blush spreading across his cheeks, “Even if I don’t know what that is myself.”

Bitty knew he was in trouble. He was falling hard for this human. And while Jack was clearly not great at fitting in with the rest of his species, Bitty was certain now that he wasn’t actually a selkie hiding on land. His heart leapt with joy at finding a person he was so completely in tune with, but it ached at the decision he knew he would have to make in the not too distant future: stay on land and give Jack his pelt, or go back to the sea and never see Jack again.

***

It was time to come clean to Jack. He had been postponing returning to his bob for a week. He needed to tell Jack that he wasn’t human. He still wasn’t sure what he was going to do after that, though. He wasn’t even sure what reaction he hoped Jack would have to the news. If Jack rejected him, his choice was easy. Yes, he would be heartbroken. But, he could go back to the bob with no regrets.

But, what if Jack was okay with him not being human? Could he bear to leave then? If Jack accepted him completely, could he still go back to the sea? Did he honestly want to? Bitty sighed and dragged himself upright. He would deal with whatever happened. After he figured out how to say it.

Bitty followed the now familiar path to the practice arena and through the back entrance. The security guard gave him a small nod and let him pass unobstructed. He must have been running a bit late because Jack was already clean and dressed in street clothes. 

“Hey! You know, we need to get you a phone.”

“Why?”

“Well, so that we can talk when we aren’t with each other. We can plan our dates better. I’m actually surprised you don’t have one already.”

Bitty tilted his head to the side. He knew he should play it off, pretend that he was just a normal human. It’s what he had been instructed to do his whole life, but the pending conversation just wouldn’t let him fake it any more. “I don’t really need one. I know it’s something that will make some things easier, but it’s not really something I need outside of my relationship with you. You’re the only person I want to talk to. And I get to do that every day when I see you. Don’t really need a phone for that.”

Jack was quiet as he grabbed his bag and led them out to his car. “You don’t need to call your parents?”

“No. They know I can’t talk to them right now.” Bitty slid into the passenger side of Jack’s Land Rover and buckled his seat belt, making sure his backpack was secure between his feet on the floor. All of these casual human activities were starting to become almost second nature to him after 5 weeks on land. It was beyond time to explain things to Jack. 

Jack was quiet as they pulled out of the parking lot. “Is there something wrong? You sound - off - today. Was it something I did?”

Bitty ran a hand over his eyes. “No, Jack. It’s nothing you did. It’s something I owe you. You have been the sweetest person I’ve ever met. But, we need to have a serious conversation somewhere private.”

“Okay.”

The rest of the ride was quiet as they made their way to Jack’s apartment building. Bitty could tell that he was holding himself back from pressing the issue in the car. By now, the elevator ride was nothing unusual. Bitty couldn’t help but think back on the first time he rode the elevator up to Jack’s apartment. He had never felt ground move like that before and it was startling to say the least. It had taken everything in his power to not grab on to Jack’s arm and to grit his teeth and pretend everything was fine. The elevator glided to a soft stop and the door opened. Jack quietly led the way to his apartment and held the door for Bitty.

Bitty waited just long enough for the door to close and Jack to take a few steps into the living room. “You need to know something about me. And I really should have told you before now. But, I can’t put it off any longer.”

Jack stepped closer and held out his hand for Bitty to take. “You can tell me anything. I promise it doesn’t change how I feel about you. I know you have - difficulty - with your finances. But, it’s okay. I don’t care what your living situation is. I know you aren’t in this relationship for money or a handout.”

Bitty stopped in his tracks. “What?” It took him a few seconds to figure out what Jack had assumed. “Oh, Jack. No. That’s very sweet. And it makes me love you even more. But that’s not what this is.” He resolutely picked up his backpack and unzipped it. His nerves started to get the better of him. He could feel pressure building in his chest and working it’s way up to his ears, causing that weird pulsing to start and diminishing the sounds outside of his body. He gently rubbed his fingers over his seal coat and pulled it out.

Jack took a step back. “What is that? It looks like an animal pelt.”

“It is. Sort of. It’s mine.”

“Did you skin it? And why do you keep it in your backpack?” Bitty could hear the nervousness creep into Jack’s voice. He could have done this better. Clearly he didn’t think this through. Jack must think he’s a burgeoning serial killer keeping a seal pelt in his bag and wandering around the city with it.

“No. It’s _mine_. Literally. I’m not human. I’m a selkie.”

“A what?” 

At least the fear had fallen out of Jack’s voice.

“I’ll show you.” Bitty carefully stepped into his coat and pulled it over his head. The moment it wrapped around his body, it sealed itself. The transformation was nearly instantaneous. He rolled on the floor. His round body and flippers were not made to be graceful on land. Cautiously, he looked up at Jack and barked at him. 

“Oh mon dieu!”

It took a few moments, but Jack quickly overcame his shock and knelt next to Bitty. “May I pet you?”

Bitty snorted and nuzzled his head into Jack’s outstretched hand.

“You are so soft.” His voice was full of awe as he ran his hands down Bitty’s back and back up to scratch behind his ears.

“Errf. Nerfth.” Bitty closed his eyes and leaned in when Jack’s clever fingers found a good spot. He started drifting off to sleep with Jack’s gentle ministrations. Just as his eyes closed, he jolted awake. He couldn’t get distracted. There was more he had to discuss and he couldn’t do it while Jack was incapable of understanding him. He chuffed and wiggled just out of Jack’s reach. Focusing on separating his coat from his body, he felt the seam start to open. It was disconcerting to force his coat off, but it was necessary. As it opened, he transformed back to the human form Jack was familiar with. Carefully, he removed his coat and folded it across his arms.

“You’re amazing.” Jack’s face was soft in wonder.

Bitty shook his head, a bashful smile across his face. “I’m glad you think so. I need to know where this is going, Jack. I was supposed to return to my bob a week ago. I just couldn’t seem to pull myself away. I love you. But staying … staying means never going back to the ocean. Staying means living life as a human. And you can’t follow me to the sea.”

Jack’s gentle expression dropped to a frown. “How long do you have before you need to make a decision?”

“The sooner the better.”

“Bitty, I love you. Which means I want what’s best for you. I could never hold you here against your will. If you want to go back to your - bob? - I understand. I’d hate to never see my family again.”

“It’s more than that, Jack. That feeling you told me about on Marty’s boat? It’s like that for me, too. I’ve been drawn to you since I came on shore the first time. I don’t know if I could be happy without you.”

“Do you want to try staying with me for a little while? Living with a person is very different from dating them. And maybe you should meet my family. They can take a bit to get used to. Particularly Papa.”

“I’d love to meet your family, Jack.”

Bitty couldn’t figure out his emotions. He was sad that he would likely never see his bob again. But, that was overshadowed by how happy he was that Jack loved him and wanted him in his life.

***

Bitty was nervous. He knew that meeting Jack’s parents was a huge step. And it was one step closer to never seeing his family again. A tiny part of him hoped the visit went so horribly that he could have an excuse to give himself to run as far away as possible. Jack wrapped an arm tightly around his waist, almost as if he could sense Bitty’s flight response kicking in and preventing him from fleeing.

The house was on a massive piece of wooded property. They passed through a large iron gate and down a winding driveway. Bitty’s eyes widened as the house came into view. It was by far the largest house he had ever seen. After everything he had learned about humans, he knew this meant that Jack’s family was well off. He didn’t envy them, though. Nothing compared to being able to sunbathe with the bob on the beach. Well, maybe waking up next to Jack came close.

Jack’s mother and father stood waiting to greet them outside the front door. The moment Bitty got out of the car, Bob tilted his head and inhaled deeply. He went from cordially welcoming to enthusiastic in a split second. Alicia tried to grab the back of his shirt, but missed as he ran down the brick steps and across to the car.

Bob wrapped Bitty in a hug, nearly crushing his ribs in his excitement. “I’m so happy you found each other! I can’t believe it! I never thought it would happen. You must tell me all about yourself and your bob. The day I met Alicia was both the best and the hardest. I was happy to give her my pelt. It was a difficult choice, but I’ve never regretted it. I worried about Jack ever feeling comfortable in his skin. But now! Now, I can see he just needed to find a selkie.”

Bitty gasped. “You - you’re -”

“Yes. Which means Jack is half.”

Jack glanced quickly between his parents and Bitty. “Half? Wait. Papa? You’re a selkie, too? I’ve never had a pelt.” He stared at both his parents in confusion. “Have I?”

Alicia much more sedately followed Bob to the couple and held out her hands to her son and twined her fingers through his. “No, baby. You weren’t born with a pelt.”

Bob let go of Bitty just long enough to clap Jack on the shoulder. “You were born mostly human. The good news is, neither you nor Bitty will have to make the choices I did. Alicia, do you mind getting my pelt.”

Alicia nodded and left, heading back to the house and leaving the three to work out where they stood.

“I guess this is why I never felt right anywhere but the ice?”

Bob hummed. “It probably had a good bit to do with it. It took me more years than I would like to admit to figure out most of humanities’ idiosyncrasies. Every now and then, I still run across something that has me stumped. But, I play it off as being both a Francophone and a dumb hockey.” Bob winked at both Bitty and Jack.

Jack shook his head. “It does work, Papa.”

“Of course!”

The three men were in the middle of chirping each other and their inability to understand humans when Alicia came back holding a large, light grey pelt with spots.

Bitty smiled at Bob, “Harbor?”

“Yep! You?”

“Harp.”

“Nice. Fitting. Has your pelt developed a saddle yet?”

Bitty blushed. “It’s coming in. Still mostly spots.”

Alicia stood a step away from the group, Bob’s large pelt draped carefully over her arms. Bob grinned and wrapped an arm around her. “Now. If you could please give our son my pelt.”

Jack took the pelt from Alicia’s arms, brow furrowed in confusion. “Okay?”

Bitty gasped. “Are you sure?”

“I’m happy here on land. I have a life and a gorgeous wife. But, I have a feeling Jack was never really made for land or the spotlight. You should probably call your GM and let them know you’re retiring.”

Bitty tucked into Jack’s side and explained. “If you take this pelt, you’ll be as much of a selkie as I am. You can swim in the ocean and live with my bob. But, you will never be able to really be human again. Something inside you will inherently change. As much as you feel like an outsider to humanity now, it will be much worse if you do this.”

Jack ran his fingers over the pelt. “But, I’ll be with you.”

“Yes. Forever. Selkies mate for life.”

Jack smiled down at Bitty. “I’m looking forward to it.”

* * *

The sun was just peeking out over the horizon, pinks and purples pushing away the black of the night sky. Jack stood on the beach next to Bitty watching the sunrise. He had canceled his lease on his apartment and contacted the Falconers. His Papa had helped him come up with an injury that would be career ending and wrangled a physician friend of his to sign off on it. He would be permanently retired from hockey and his life as a human was over.

He stepped into his father’s pelt and pulled it over his shoulders. “So, how do I get it to work?”

Bitty smiled and stroked the back of the pelt. “When you flip the hood over your face, it will happen. It shouldn’t take any effort on your part. It will sense what you are.”

Jack nodded and pulled the pelt over his head and let it cover his face. Something sunk into his skin. He could feel it blending with him and suddenly his knees gave out from underneath of him. He landed on the sand with a much softer thump that he was accustomed to. He tried to ask Bitty if everything had gone well, but all that came out was a “Mrrpht.”

“Sweetpea, you are absolutely beautiful. I wish I had a mirror on me to show you.”

“Erg. Urffft. Mrrp.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll be able to understand selkie in no time. Once the magic has set, you’ll see.”

Bitty stepped into his pelt and the transformation overtook him, leaving a beautiful harp seal in his place. “Mrrpt. Blefft - understand me?”

Jack could have sighed in relief when whatever magic was in charge of making him a seal kicked in and he could understand Bitty once again. Bitty bounced and wiggled over the sand to him and nuzzled him in the face. He could feel their long whiskers scrape against each other. It was surreal. “Did everything feel this odd when you came on shore the first time?”

Bitty chuffed. “You have no idea. Walking was very difficult to get the hang of. Now, you are going to have to use those core muscles that you’ve trained so hard to move on land. Once you’re in the water, everything will be much easier.”

Jack slowly made his way to the water lapping at the shore. It took a bit, but once the water was high enough he could feel himself rise off the bottom and have enough room to propel himself forward. Bitty had already broken through the first waves and was cheering him on. He followed Bitty’s voice further away from land, took a breath, and dove.

He nuzzled Bitty’s face, whiskers sending his nerves humming.

“Ready?”

“I think I always have been.”

**Author's Note:**

> One of the many names for a group of seals was a bob. And ... well, that just presented too good of an opportunity to pass up to have Bad Bob Zimmermann take that as his human name.


End file.
